Mag-log inFor a moment, the room went completely silent.Ariana slowly turned back and looked at Gabriella. Her eyes burned with pure anger. Baby Aiden was still crying loudly in her arms.A maid rushed out of the kitchen after hearing the loud noise.Ariana gently placed Aiden into the maid’s arms. “Please hold him for me,” she said quietly. “Let me deal with this Spanish spiteful untrained bitch.”The maid nodded nervously and stepped back, rocking the baby.Ariana’s gaze never left Gabriella.“I’ve put up with your lies for years,” Ariana said. “But nobody slaps me and walks away smiling.”Gabriella crossed her arms. “Oh? And what are you going to do about it?”Ariana smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile. It was the kind of smile that warned trouble was coming.“You should’ve kept your hands to yourself.”Before Gabriella could answer, Ariana lunged at her.Gabriella screamed as they crashed to the marble floor. Ariana landed on top and grabbed a fistful of Gabriella’s hair.“Get off me!” Gabrie
ALEJANDRO’S HOUSE — FRONT DOOR — 2:30 PMAriana stepped out of the car with baby Aiden resting on her hip.Her suitcases were still in the trunk.She hadn’t even gone home.After a fourteen-hour flight from Italy, she had come straight here.For weeks, Amelia had been calling her. Then suddenly, the calls stopped. The messages stopped. Everything stopped.When Ariana finally found someone who knew what had happened, she booked the first flight out of Rome without a second thought.She hadn’t even packed properly.Aiden grabbed a handful of her hair and giggled.Ariana smiled tiredly and kissed his forehead.“We’re going to see Aunt Amelia, little man,” she said softly. “She’s probably going to spoil you the second she sees you.”Aiden babbled happily. “Yeah, I missed her too.”Carrying him in one arm, Ariana walked up the front steps and lifted her hand to knock.Before her knuckles touched the door, it swung open.Ariana stopped.Her heart skipped a beat.She stared at the woman stan
ABANDONED WAREHOUSE – EAST SIDE – 11:45 PMThe warehouse had no windows.The only light came from a single hanging bulb in the center of the room. It swung slightly from the draft coming under the door. The shadows it made were long and unsteady. The floor was concrete. Cold and stained and unforgiving.Rebecca Stein sat in the middle of it all.She was tied to a metal chair with her wrists bound behind her back and her ankles strapped to the legs. Her designer blazer was torn at the shoulder. One heel had snapped off her shoe. Her hair, always so perfectly styled for court, was hanging loose and damp around her face.She had been grabbed from the courthouse parking garage forty minutes ago.One second she was walking to her car with her briefcase in her hand. The next, a black hood was over her head and she was in the back of a vehicle moving fast through streets she couldn't see.Now she was here.She didn't know where here was.Three men stood around the edges of the room. Big
Rebecca finally looked at her. Her expression was calm. Professional and completely unreadable."Trust me," she said. "I know what I'm doing."The guards came and stood on either side of her. She rose from the witness stand on unsteady legs and walked toward the side door.As they led her out, she passed close to the gallery. For just a second, she thought she saw a familiar face near the back. A man in dark glasses, sitting very still.She blinked.He was gone. Or maybe he had never been there.The door closed behind her."I'm going to get us out of here," she whispered. "I promise."OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE — 12:45 PMMiguel sat in a black car across the street. Lucas was in the driver's seat."Did she see you, boss?" Lucas asked.Miguel took off his sunglasses. "She said my name. In front of everyone."Lucas shook his head. "That's dangerous. If anyone finds out you're alive…"Miguel stared at the courthouse doors. "I had to see her. She's carrying my brother's child. She's fighti
Rebecca sat beside Amelia at the defense table, flipping through papers. She leaned over and whispered, "Stay calm. Don't raise your voice. Let me handle it."Amelia nodded.Judge Morrison sat at the bench with his glasses low on his nose. He looked up when the room was completely silent."Mrs. Favino. You may take the stand."Amelia stood. Her legs felt like water. She walked to the witness stand and sat down. She folded her hands in her lap and pressed them together hard to keep them still.Mr. Harris rose from his chair. He buttoned his jacket and walked slowly toward her."Mrs. Favino," he said. "Let's talk about what happened to Marisa Favino."Amelia kept her voice steady. "I've already told the court everything I know.""Yes, you have." He nodded slowly. "You said you were at work. You said you received a phone call telling you your mother-in-law had collapsed. You said you had nothing to do with what happened to her.""That's the truth.""Is it?" He walked closer. "Because
THE COURTROOM – NEW YORK CITY COURTHOUSE – COURTROOM 7 – 10:00 AMThe courtroom was packed. Reporters filled the back rows, whispering and typing on their phones. Cameras waited outside the doors. The air was thick with tension.Amelia sat at the defense table in a simple dark dress that Rebecca had brought her. She looked pale and tired. Her belly was clearly showing now. She kept her hands folded on the table to stop them from shaking. Rebecca Stein stood beside her, wearing a sharp black suit and looking confident.The judge, an older man named Judge Morrison with gray hair and cold eyes, banged his gavel."We are back in session for the case of the People versus Amelia Favino," he said. His voice was flat and unfriendly. "Miss Stein, you may continue your defense."Rebecca stood tall. "Thank you, Your Honor. Today we will show that my client is innocent. The evidence against her was planted. Witnesses were paid. And the real criminals are still walking free."The prosecutor,
As they stepped into the elevator, Lucas glanced at him. “You sure you’re ready to face Aunt Jessica though? That woman doesn’t play.”Daniel smirked. “Let her try me. All I want are my kids. No drama, no deals just my blood.”Lucas shrugged, pressing the elevator button. “Well, I hope she doesn’t
Amelia froze, the hamburger halfway to her mouth. “Wait what did you just say?”Damien leaned forward, eyes steady. “I said marry me, Amelia. Right here, right now. Let me get you out of this hell.”She blinked, stunned. “Damien… this isn’t some kind of business deal. You can’t just walk into a pri
NEW YORK PENITENTIARY PRISON BLOCK A The guard escorted Amelia back to her cell.Her handcuffs were removed, and the heavy door slammed shut behind her.Roxy looked up from her bunk immediately.“Stone… damn. You look like you just saw the devil.”Amelia let out a shaky, humorless laugh, sinking o
NEW YORK PENITENTIARY PRISON Amelia stepped into the superintendent’s office, still handcuffed, confused and irritated.“Yes sir, you asked to see me? What’s going on?” she asked.The superintendent pointed at the chair without looking up.“Sit down, Stone.”Amelia sat down, trying to steady her n







